Rational Functions, Equations

and Inequalities
Rational Functions
What is a rational expression?
𝒙𝟐 + 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐 𝟏 𝒙−𝟒
𝒙+𝟒 𝟑𝒙𝟐 𝒙𝟐NOT
−𝟔
Rational expression Rational expression

𝒙𝟐 + 𝟓𝒙 − 𝟑 𝟐 𝟐
𝒙+𝟑 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟗
𝟒 𝒙−𝟑
Rational expression Rational expression

A rational expression is an expression that can be

written as a ratio of two polynomials.
 Rational Equation Rational Inequality Rational Function
Definition An equation involving An inequality involving A function of the form of
rational expressions rational expressions 𝑝(𝑥)
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑞(𝑥) where 𝑝(𝑥) and
𝑞(𝑥) are polynomials, and
𝑞(𝑥) is not the zero function

Example 2 3 1 5 5 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 3
− = ≤ 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥 4𝑥 5 𝑥 − 3 3𝑥 𝑥+1
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 3
𝑦=
𝑥+1
Solving Rational Equations and
Inequalities
Rational Functions
Solve for 𝑥:
𝒙+𝟏
= 𝟏𝟎
𝟐𝒙
𝒙+𝟏
≤ 𝟏𝟎
𝟐𝒙
Solving Rational Equations
a. Eliminate denominator
by multiplying each term 2 3 1
10𝑥 − =
of the equation by the 𝑥 2𝑥 5
least common 2 3 1
denominator 10𝑥 − 10𝑥 = 10𝑥
𝑥 2𝑥 5
b. Note that eliminating 20 −15 = 2𝑥
denominators may introduce 5 = 2𝑥
extraneous solutions. Check the 2 2
solutions of the transformed 𝟓
equations with the original 𝒙=
equation.
𝟐
Example 2:
1. Solve for x: 3. Solve for x:
𝑥 1 8 1−𝑥 𝑥2 + 1
− = 2 1− − 2 =0
𝑥+2 𝑥−2 𝑥 −4 3𝑥 + 1 3𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 1

2. Solve for x:
4𝑥 − 6 7
=
2𝑥 − 3 𝑥 + 1
Example 4:
Dave walks 5 kilometers from his house to
Ormoc to buy a new bike which he uses to
return home. He averaged 10 kilometers
faster on his bike than on foot. If his total
trip took 1 hour and 20 minutes, what is his
walking speed in kph?
Solving Rational Inequalities
Rational Functions
Interval and Set Notation
Interval Set Notation Graph

(𝒂, 𝒃) *𝒙|𝒂 < 𝒙 < 𝒃+ 𝑎 𝑏

𝒂, 𝒃 *𝒙|𝒂 ≤ 𝒙 ≤ 𝒃+
𝑎 𝑏
𝒂, 𝒃 *𝒙|𝒂 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝒃+ 𝑎 𝑏
𝒂, 𝒃 *𝒙|𝒂 < 𝒙 ≤ 𝒃+
𝑎 𝑏
(𝒂, ∞) *𝒙|𝒙 > 𝒂+
𝑎
Interval and Set Notation
𝒂, ∞ *𝒙|𝒙 ≥ 𝒂+
𝑎
(−∞, 𝒃) *𝒙|𝒙 < 𝒃+
𝑏
−∞, 𝒃 *𝒙|𝒙 ≤ 𝒃+
𝑏
Set of real
(−∞, ∞)
numbers
𝒙+𝟏
≤ 𝟏𝟎
𝟐𝒙
Solving Rational Inequalities
a. Rewrite the inequality as fraction on one side of
the inequality symbol and 0 on the other side.
b. Determine over what intervals the fraction
takes on positive and negative values.
i. Locate the x-values for which the rational
expression is zero or undefined (factoring the
numerator and denominator is a useful
strategy.
Solving Rational Inequalities
ii. Mark the numbers found in (i) on a number line.
Use a shaded circle to indicate that the value is
included in the solution set, and a hollow circle to
indicate that the value is excluded. These
numbers partition the number line into intervals.
iii. Select a test point within the interior of each
interval in (ii). The sign of the rational expression
at this this point is also the sign of the rational
expression at each interior point in the
aforementioned interval.
Solving Rational Inequalities
iv. Summarize the intervals containing the
solutions.
 𝑥−1=0 𝑥+1=0
2𝑥
≥1 𝑥 = 1 (part of a solution) 𝑥 ≠ −1 (not part of a solution)
𝑥+1
2𝑥 −1 1
−1≥0 𝑥 < −1 −1 < 𝑥 ≤ 1 𝑥≥1
𝑥+1 Test Value 𝑥 = −2 𝑥=0 𝑥=2
2𝑥 − 𝑥 − 1 𝑥−1 − − +
≥0
𝑥+1 𝑥+1 − + +
𝑥−1 𝑥−1
+ −
+
≥0 𝑥+1
𝑥+1
−∞, −𝟏 ∪ 𝟏, ∞
𝑥+1 −𝑥 − 5 = 0 𝑥+3=0
≤2
𝑥+3 𝑥 = −5 (part of a solution) 𝑥 ≠ −3 (not part of a solution)
𝑥+1
−2≤0 −5 −3
𝑥+3
𝑥 ≤ −5 −5 ≤ 𝑥 < −3 𝑥 > −3
𝑥 + 1 − 2𝑥 − 6
≤0 Test Value 𝑥 = −6 𝑥 = −4 𝑥 = −1
𝑥+3
−𝑥 − 5 + − −
−𝑥 − 5 𝑥+3 − − +
≤0 𝑥−1
𝑥+3 − +
−
𝑥+1

−∞, −𝟓 ∪ −𝟑, ∞
 3 1 2𝑥 + 2 = 0 𝑥 ≠ 0 (not part of a solution)
<
𝑥−2 𝑥 𝑥 = −1 (not part of a solution) 𝑥 ≠ 2 (not part of a solution)
3 1
− <0 −1 0 2
𝑥−2 𝑥
𝑥 < −1 −1 < 𝑥 < 0 0<𝑥<2 𝑥>2
3𝑥 − 𝑥 + 2 Test Value 𝑥 = −2 𝑥 = −0.5 𝑥=1 𝑥=3
<0
𝑥 𝑥−2 2𝑥 + 2 − + + +
(𝑥)(𝑥 − 2) + + − +
2𝑥 + 2
<0 𝑥−1
− +
− +
𝑥 𝑥−2 𝑥+1

(−∞, −𝟏) ∪ 𝟎, 𝟐
A dressmaker ordered several of red cloth form a
vendor, but the vendor only had 4 meters of red cloth
in stock. The vendor bought the remaining lengths of
red cloth from a wholesaler for ₱ 1120. He then sold
those lengths of red cloth to the dressmaker along
with the original 4 meters of cloth for a total of ₱
1600. if the vendor’s price per meter is at least ₱10
more than the wholesaler’s price per meter, what
possible lengths of cloth did the vendor purchase from
the wholesaler?
Vertical Line Test
• Vertical is up and down!
• Vertical Line Test: If you can draw some vertical line on
a graph and it goes through MORE THAN ONE point,
the graph is NOT a function.
▫ Ex: Are these graphs functions?

YES ! YES! NO!